CindyTumiel: That apple thing again

Scientists have known for quite awhile that there was truth behind the old adage that an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

A recent study supported by apple growers and marketers now adds to the growing body of scientific evidence about the activity of flavonoids, the compounds inside fruits, vegetables, chocolate and green tea that can help protect DNA, the twisted strands of genetic information inside every cell.

This study at University of California, Davis looked specifically at how apple flavinoids work. Researchers first exposed human cells to an apple mash, then went on to expose them to something called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a chemical compound that can kill cells and promote inflammation. They reported that the apple flavinoids inhibited a specific kind of cell signal that allows TNF to do it’s damage.

The research was done with money from the U.S. Apple Association and the Apple Products Research and Education Council, which of course stand to reap financial benefits from these positive results. But for those of us with a sweet tooth, it is comforting to know there is something out there that is crispy and sweet and good for our cells as well.